VN invests in waste treatment   A projection of Ha Noi's first industrial waste-to-energy facility at the Nam Son Waste Treatment Complex in Soc Son District, which is expected to be completed next year. - VNA/VNS Photo The Duyet HA NOI (VNS)- Construction began on Thursday on Ha Noi's first's industrial waste-to-energy (WtE) facility at the Nam Son Waste Treatment Complex in Soc Son District with an expected completion by 2014. The VND612 billion (USD$29million) project includes over VND472 billion (USD$22.5million) in non-refundable aid from Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) and will be jointly carried out by the Ha Noi Urban Environment Company (URENCO) and Japanese Hitachi Zosen. The facility is designed to generate 1,930 kW of power per day, treating 75 tonnes of industrial waste daily. The facility aims to improve power generation and environmental protection by using Japanese exhaust treatment and heat recovery technology to power an electricity generator. The facility also aims to reduce the levels of solid and toxic waste at land-fill sites while meeting Ha Noi's demand for electricity. The Nam Son Waste Treatment Complex and the facility is one of many efforts to manage industrial and toxic waste, according to URENCO. Statistics from Ha Noi's Natural Resources and Environment Department in 2011 showed that the city discharged around 161,000 tonnes of industrial waste per day, of which 25,730 tonnes -roughly 16 per cent- was treated. Remaining waste was dumped in the outskirts of the city. Officials say the city plans to use advanced technology to treat around 4,650 tonnes of waste daily, to treat around 86 per cent of the city's total waste by 2015. Binh Duong waste plant A solid-waste treatment plant built at a cost of 16 million euros (US$21.6 million) with funding from Finland was opened yesterday in Binh Duong Province. The South Binh Duong Solid Waste Treatment Complex in Ben Cat District is expected to not only help improve environmental protection and public health but also attracting investors, according to the Water Supply Sewerage Environment Company (Biwase), the plant operator. Nguyen Van Thien, general director of Biwase, said the complex comprises of two main parts — a domestic-waste treatment area where solid waste is treated and recycled into compost with a daily capacity of 420 tonnes, and an industrial leachate treatment plant with a capacity of 480 cubic metres per hour. The compost will serve agriculture in Binh Duong and surrounding provinces. The industrial and hazardous treatment area in the complex is designed to incinerate 500 tonnes of industrial solid wastes per day. The cinder from the incineration will be mixed to make concrete and bricks and heat from the incinerator will generate power, according to the company. The project, which basically meets Binh Duong's waste-treatment requirements, began to receive waste for landfills as long ago as in 2004. Binh Duong, which has more than 10,000 domestic and foreign direct investment firms, has industrialised and urbanised rapidly, increasing the need for treating domestic and hazardous industrial wastes. The province is focused on sustainable development and addressing social issues related to environmental protection. -VNS